Chapter 137: The Tearful Plea of Bai Ruoxi

Only Qin Feng and Long Xiaotian’s men remained in the warehouse.

Long Xiaotian walked up to Qin Feng and asked with concern, "Mr. Qin, are you alright?"

"Just some superficial wounds; it’s nothing," Qin Feng replied indifferently, his sharp gaze fixed on Long Xiaotian. "Mr. Long, have you been having people follow and protect me?"

Long Xiaotian paused for a moment before smilingly explaining, "Mr. Qin, your perception is as sharp as a torch. I did indeed assign a few people to watch over you in the shadows. After all, you are now a distinguished guest of our Longteng Group; it is only natural that I ensure your safety."

"A distinguished guest?" Qin Feng sneered. "I’m afraid I cannot bear such 'kindness' from you, Mr. Long. Speak plainly: what is your true purpose in saving me today?"

The smile on Long Xiaotian’s face stiffened, but he quickly recovered, sighing as he spoke.

"Brother Qin is as straightforward as they say. Since you asked, I won't beat around the bush. I came here today to ask for your help with a favor."

"A favor?"

Qin Feng raised an eyebrow. "Mr. Long, you are a man of countless affairs; what could you possibly need my help with?"

Watching Long Xiaotian’s feigned sincerity, Qin Feng sneered inwardly. To go to such great lengths just to ask for a favor? Who was he trying to fool? Although he was new to the scene, Qin Feng knew what a shrewd character Long Xiaotian was. A man who never acted without profit—if someone said he had no ulterior motive, Qin Feng would be the first to disbelieve it.

"Mr. Long, you must be joking. I am a newcomer with neither power nor influence. What could I possibly do for you?" Qin Feng probed calmly, his sharp eyes locked on Long Xiaotian, trying to catch a crack in his facade.

Long Xiaotian acted as if he hadn't heard the probing in Qin Feng’s words, sighing to himself with a look of helplessness and bitterness.

"The jade you took from me... isn't it time to return it?"

Qin Feng observed this performance. He knew exactly what Long Xiaotian wanted—it was the ancient jade he had swiped. In the end, no matter how much Long Xiaotian covered it up, he could not escape the greed of a common man.

"Mr. Long, you jest. That ancient jade was yours to begin with; it is only right that it returns to its owner." Qin Feng smiled nonchalantly, as if he couldn't care less.

A glimmer of imperceptible joy flashed in Long Xiaotian’s eyes, but he quickly masked it.

He laughed heartily and patted Qin Feng on the shoulder. "Brother Qin, you are truly refreshing! I love dealing with straightforward people!"

Qin Feng slowly took the ancient jade from his bag. The stone felt warm to the touch, its color a lustrous white, emitting a faint glow under the dim lights of the warehouse.

Seeing this, Long Xiaotian’s eyes went wide, and he looked as though he wanted to snatch it from Qin Feng’s hand immediately.

"Mr. Long, no need to rush." Qin Feng held the jade, a playful smile curling his lips. "It’s been in my hands for quite a while; a few more moments won't hurt."

Long Xiaotian gave a dry cough, suppressing his impatience, and said with a forced smile, "Indeed, indeed, Brother Qin is right."

Qin Feng tossed the jade to Long Xiaotian, who scrambled to catch it, cradling it in his palms as if it were a priceless treasure.

"Brother Qin, I truly owe you for this! If not for you, I fear I would never have seen this piece again in my lifetime." As he spoke, Long Xiaotian patted Qin Feng’s shoulder in gratitude.

Qin Feng subtly avoided the touch and replied coldly, "You are too kind, Mr. Long. It was just a small effort."

"Hahaha, Brother Qin is indeed a straightforward man! I, Long Xiaotian, like dealing with such people the most!"

With that, Long Xiaotian waved to the men behind him, and they brought in several large crates.

"Brother Qin, just a small token of my appreciation. Please, do accept it."

Qin Feng looked at the crates, a hint of amusement in his eyes. They were filled with gold bars, shimmering so brightly it was hard to keep one's eyes open.

"What is the meaning of this, Mr. Long?" Qin Feng looked at him with an inscrutable smile. "I am not the type to be blinded by money."

"Brother Qin, you jest. This is merely a gesture of thanks for helping me recover this jade of extraordinary significance. As you know, this piece means a great deal to me..." Long Xiaotian’s tone grew somewhat melancholic.

Qin Feng certainly knew what the jade meant to him; it was the treasure he had dreamed of. Now that it was recovered, it was only natural for him to show his gratitude.

"In that case, I will not decline." Qin Feng stopped refusing and had Zhang Hu take the crates.

Seeing this, the smile on Long Xiaotian’s face grew even brighter. He patted Qin Feng on the shoulder and said, "Brother Qin, if you ever need any help in the future, just ask! I, Long Xiaotian, will do everything in my power!"

Qin Feng offered a faint smile and said nothing. He knew full well that Long Xiaotian simply valued his abilities and wanted to recruit him into his own camp.

Long Xiaotian did not linger. He escorted Qin Feng and his group to the airport in the Tibetan region to see them off. Qin Feng and Zhang Hu said goodbye to Abu and boarded the flight back to Kyoto.

"Brother Feng, what exactly is Long Xiaotian up to? He went to such lengths just to have us find a piece of jade?" On the plane, Zhang Hu asked, utterly baffled.

Qin Feng closed his eyes to rest. "That jade is certainly no simple item; it might be a priceless treasure. However, that has nothing to do with us. We just need to focus on our own business."

Zhang Hu scratched his head, still unable to wrap his mind around it. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this than met the eye.

Upon returning to Kyoto, Qin Feng didn't rush to find Bai Ruoxi but went home first. Opening his door, he saw Bai Ruoxi sitting on the sofa, her exquisite face filled with anxiety. Her usual cold, aloof demeanor had vanished, replaced by a fragile vulnerability that would stir pity in anyone.

"Ruoxi? Why are you here?" Qin Feng was surprised. Bai Ruoxi had never lost her composure like this before—could something major have happened to the Bai Group?

Seeing Qin Feng return, Bai Ruoxi stood up abruptly. Like someone grasping at a straw, she stumbled into his arms.

"Qin Feng..."

Her voice was thick with tears, and her warmth soaked through his clothes. "I... what should I do?"

Qin Feng gently patted her back, soothing her softly. "Don't rush, tell me slowly. What on earth has happened?"

Bai Ruoxi took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, and recounted the story bit by bit.

It turned out that the reason the Bai family had been able to stand firm in Kyoto all these years was because they were under the protection of a reclusive martial artist. In exchange, the Bai family had to pay tribute to this martial artist every year with countless treasures—among which was the Heshi Jade that the Bai family had been willing to sacrifice everything to obtain.